A jury yesterday acquitted a man of trying to murder a police officer, but convicted him of driving a stolen van that slammed into 13 cars, snarling traffic for hours along Kalaniana'ole Highway in 2005.

Patrick Masaoka was found not guilty of trying to run down an officer who approached the van at a roadblock.

The officer fired one shot at the van before it sped away and hit the cars and nearly hit a motorcyclist near 'Ainakoa Avenue on Dec. 15, 2005.

If convicted of the attempted first-degree murder charge, Masaoka would have been sentenced to a mandatory life term without parole, the state's harshest sentence.

Masaoka, 28, now faces sentencing on felony charges of driving the stolen van, 13 counts of first-degree criminal property damage and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The charges carry maximum prison terms of five and 10 years in prison.

He also was convicted of second-degree reckless endangering the life of the motorcyclist, a misdemeanor.

Masaoka's lawyer, Clifford Hunt, said he was pleased with the verdict. He said the only charge his client contested was the attempted murder charge. Hunt said his client did not intend to kill the officer.

Circuit Judge Steve Alm scheduled Masaoka's sentencing for May 21.

Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com.